Method for Knitting Manufactured Articles with Circular Knitting Machines Having the Needle Cylinder Actuatable for Rotation in Both Rotation Directions

ABSTRACT

A method for knitting manufactured articles with circular knitting machines with high-fineness consisting in that at least one region of the manufacture is produced with a group of contiguous needles by reducing at least once the number of active needles of the group of needles by transferring the last loop of knitting formed by certain needles of the group of needles to contiguous needles of the group of needles and excluding from knitting the needles that have transferred the loop of knitting during the formation of at least one portion of a subsequent row of knitting by the needles that are kept active. The manufacture region is produced by providing in succession portions of rows of knitting obtained by actuating the needle cylinder with a two direction rotary motion.

The present invention relates to a method for knitting manufacturedarticles with circular knitting machines having the needle cylinderactuatable for rotation in both rotation directions, particularly withhigh-fineness, high-gauge circular machines.

Knitting machines for hosiery or the like capable of transferring a loopof knitting from the needle that formed it to a contiguous needle areknown. A machine of this kind is disclosed, for example, inWO-02/070799.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Up to now, this technique for transferring loops of knitting has beenused mainly to obtain openwork in manufactures. Examples of applicationof this technique for openwork are given in WO2005/080653 by the sameApplicant.

Methods for knitting shaped manufactures with circular knitting machinesare also known which are based on increasing the number of activeneedles in certain regions of the manufacture. Techniques of this kindsuffer the drawback of allowing only to increase the active needles andtherefore require starting the knitting of these regions of themanufacture from their side that must be knitted with a minimum numberof needles. This fact limits the knitting processes that are possibleand the shapes that can be obtained with this technique.

Circular knitting machines are also known which are provided with aneedle cylinder which can be actuated with a rotary motion about its ownaxis in both directions of rotation. These machines allow to produce, byutilizing the possibility to actuate the needle cylinder in bothrotation directions, manufactures with regions, such as for example theshoulder straps of undershirts, body suits or the like or the crotchregion of underpants, body suits or the like, with edges which arealready finished, without requiring subsequent cutting and/or finishingoperations.

Even with these machines, due to the fact that it is only possible toincrease the number of needles active during knitting, it is not alwayspossible to produce manufactures which do not require cutting and/orfinishing interventions. For example, if in a manufacture it isnecessary to provide regions of knitting composed of a number ofstitches that increases gradually and then regions of knitting composedof a number of stitches that decreases gradually, these last regions canbe obtained traditionally by cutting after producing the manufacture onthe machine in order to be able to obtain the required shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a method for knittingmanufactured articles with circular knitting machines having the needlecylinder actuatable for rotation about its axis in both rotationdirections, particularly with high-fineness circular machines, whichallows to produce manufactures having shaped regions which do notnecessarily require cutting or finishing operations, regardless of theside from which the knitting of the manufacture begins.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a methodwhich, by allowing to produce manufactures with shaped regions withoutrequiring cutting or finishing operations, also allows to reduce theconsumption of thread for producing manufactures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method which can be usedto obtain manufactures with shaped regions produced with circularmachines having a high fineness, preferably comprised substantiallyranging from 16 to 50 needles per inch.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparenthereinafter, are achieved by a method for knitting manufactured articleswith circular knitting machines having the needle cylinder actuatablefor rotation in both rotation directions, particularly withhigh-fineness circular machines, characterized in that at least oneregion of the article is produced with a group of contiguous needles byreducing at least once the number of active needles in said group ofneedles by transferring the last loop of knitting formed by certainneedles of said group of needles to contiguous needles of said group ofneedles and thus excluding from knitting said certain needles during theformation of at least one portion of a subsequent row of knitting by theneedles that are kept active, and in that said region of the article isproduced by providing in succession portions of rows of knittingobtained by actuating the needle cylinder with a rotary motion about itsown axis in one direction of rotation alternated with portions of rowsof knitting obtained by actuating the needle cylinder with a rotarymotion about its own axis in the opposite direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention willbecome better apparent from the description of a preferred but notexclusive embodiment of the method according to the invention,illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a manufactured article such as a body suitwhich can be obtained with the method according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of the manufacture shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged-scale view of another detail of the manufactureshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged-scale view of another detail of the manufactureshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of an adjustable cam arrangement, known inthe art, wherein a stitch is released from one needle and transferred toan adjacent needle;

FIG. 6 is a schematic top plan view of adjacent hooks and sinkersshowing the creation of the stitch pattern according to the cam locationshown in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures, the method according to the invention ismeant to be performed on circular knitting machines, preferably oncircular machines having a fineness or gauge substantially ranging from16 to 50 needles per inch, provided with a needle cylinder which can beactuated with a rotary motion about its own axis in both rotationdirections, for example of the type disclosed in WO 2004/097092 by thesame Applicant, and equipped with needles and/or other elements fortransferring the loop of knitting formed by one needle to a contiguousneedle located laterally on one side or on the other side of the needlethat must release the loop of knitting, as disclosed for example inItalian patent application MI2004A-001146 by the same Applicant.

The method consists in producing at least one region A, B, C, D of themanufactured article or manufacture 1 by means of a group of contiguousneedles, reducing at least once the number of active needles of thegroup of needles by transferring the last loop of knitting formed bycertain needles of the group of needles to contiguous needles of thegroup of needles and thus excluding from knitting the needles that havereleased the loop of knitting, during the formation of at least oneportion of a subsequent row of knitting by the needles that are keptactive. The region A, B, C, D of the manufacture 1 is produced byproviding in succession portions of rows of knitting produced byactuating the needle cylinder with a rotary motion about its own axis inone direction of rotation, alternated with portions of rows of knittingproduced by actuating the needle cylinder with a rotary motion about itsown axis in the opposite direction.

Preferably, the number of active needles of the group of needles thatknits the region A, B, C, D of the manufacture 1 is reduced bytransferring the last loop of knitting formed by certain needles of thegroup of needles located at least one end of the group of needles tocontiguous needles of the group of needles.

The method according to the invention is now described, with referenceto the figures, in an embodiment thereof for producing a manufacturedarticle such as a body suit or the like, it being understood that themethod according to the invention can also be used to produce othertypes of manufactures.

The manufacture of FIG. 1 is provided by starting the knitting from thelower side, i.e., from the crotch region of the body suit.

Initially, the needles that belong to two groups of contiguous needleslocated in two sectors of the needle cylinder which are angularly spacedfrom each other around the axis of the needle cylinder are made to knitin order to provide the regions E, F of the manufacture that constitutethe front and rear regions of the lower part of the body suit.

The number of needles made to knit of the two groups of needles isgradually increased so as to obtain a shape with a gradually increasingwidth of the front region E and of the rear region F. The increase ofthe number of needles made to knit of the two groups of needles isperformed in a per se known manner, for example by using the needleselection devices with which modern circular knitting machines areusually provided.

Preferably, the regions E, F are produced by actuating the needlecylinder with an alternating rotary motion about its own axis, producingin succession portions of rows of knitting of the region E and of theregion F, which are provided by actuating the needle cylinder with arotary motion about its own axis in one direction of rotation and bymaking the needles of the two groups of needles knit at one or moreseparate feeds or drops of the machine, alternated with portions of rowsof knitting of the region E and of the region F provided by actuatingthe needle cylinder with a rotary motion about its own axis in theopposite direction and by making the needles of the two groups ofneedles knit respectively at the same feed(s) or drop(s) of the machine.The direction of rotation of the needle cylinder is reversed after thelast needle that has been moved to knit of the two groups of needles haspassed through the feed or drop being used, at which the thread forforming the portion E and/or F is dispensed.

In this manner, the ends of the portions E, F do not require cuttingand/or finishing operations after the manufacture has been unloaded fromthe machine.

A detail of the knitting proximate to one end of the portion F is shownin FIG. 4.

Subsequently, a tubular portion G of the manufacture 1 is produced whichcan be obtained, in a per se known manner, by actuating the needlecylinder with a continuous rotary motion about its own axis and bymaking substantially all the needles of the needle cylinder knit at oneor more feeds or drops of the machine. In this step, some of the needlesof the needle cylinder can be excluded from knitting in order to obtainparticular pattern effects or shapes in this region of the manufacture.

Moreover, during the production of the portion G it is possible toprovide the cups H, I of the bra region of the body suit, in a per seknown manner.

After the portion G, the regions A, B, C, D, which are the appendages ofthe manufacture that constitute the shoulder straps of the body suit,are produced.

Each one of these regions A, B, C, D is produced, according to theinvention, with a group of contiguous needles, by reducing progressivelythe number of active needles of such group of needles. The reduction ofthe active needles is performed by transferring the last loop ofknitting formed by certain needles of such group of needles tocontiguous needles of the same group of needles and therefore excludingfrom knitting the needles that have given up or transferred the loop ofknitting during the formation of a portion of a subsequent row ofknitting by the needles that are kept active.

The regions A, B, C, D of the manufacture are produced by providing insuccession portions of rows of knitting produced by actuating the needlecylinder with a rotary motion about its own axis in one direction ofrotation, alternated with portions of rows of knitting produced byactuating the needle cylinder with a rotary motion about its own axis inthe opposite direction.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of the region C proximateto one of its sides (the left side in FIG. 1), and FIG. 3 is anenlarged-scale view of a detail of the region C proximate to theopposite side (the right side in FIG. 1).

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the representation of the region C has been limited,for the sake of simplicity, to the knitting of eight needles, the rowsof knitting whereof have been designated by the reference numerals 1 to6 in FIG. 2 and by the reference numerals 11 to 16 in FIG. 3. Theformation of the region of knitting C proceeds from the bottom upwardlyin FIGS. 2 and 3.

With reference to FIG. 2, the reduction of the active needles isobtained by producing, in a per se known manner, for example as providedin WO-02/070799 (see FIGS. 5 and 6), the transfer of the last loop ofknitting 211 of the portion of row of knitting 21 formed by the needle Nthat forms the row 1 to the needle N that forms the row 2 beforestarting the formation of the subsequent portion of row of knitting 22.

In this manner, during the formation of the portion of row of knitting22, the needle N that forms the row 1 is excluded from knitting, whilethe needle N that forms the row 2 is made to knit, and so are otherneedles N of the needle group, forming a new loop of knitting 222, whichis knitted in with the two loops of knitting 211 and 212 carried by suchneedle, which are cast off.

Before beginning the next portion of row of knitting 23, the loop ofknitting 222 is given up or transferred from the needle N that forms therow 2 to the contiguous needle N that forms the row 3.

During the formation of the portion of row of knitting 23, the needlethat forms the row 2 is also excluded from knitting, while thecontiguous needle that forms the row 3 is made to knit, and so are otherneedles of the group of needles, forming a new loop of knitting 233,which is knitted in with the two loops of knitting 222 and 223 carriedby such needle, which are cast off.

It should be noted that the portions of row of knitting 21 and 23 areproduced by actuating the needle cylinder Cy with a rotary motion aboutits own axis in one direction of rotation, while the portion of row ofknitting 22 is produced by actuating the needle cylinder Cy with arotary motion about its own axis in the opposite direction.

With reference to FIG. 3, the reduction of the active needles isobtained by causing, in a manner which is per se known, for example asprovided in WO-02/070799 (see FIGS. 5 and 6), the transfer of the lastloop of knitting 3116 of the portion of row of knitting 31 formed by theneedle that forms the row 16 to the needle that forms the row 15 beforestarting the formation of the next portion of row of knitting 32.

In this manner, during the formation of the portion of row of knitting32, the needle that forms the row 16 is excluded from knitting, whilethe needle that forms the row 15 is made to knit, and so are otherneedles of the group of needles, forming a new loop of knitting 3215,which is knitted in with the two loops of knitting 3116 and 3115 carriedby such needle, which are cast off.

Before beginning the next portion of row of knitting 33, the loop ofknitting 3215 is transferred from the needle that forms the row 15 tothe contiguous needle that forms the row 14.

During the formation of the portion of row of knitting 33, the needlethat forms the row 15 is also excluded from knitting, while thecontiguous needle that forms the row 14 is made to knit, and so areother needles of the group of needles, forming a new loop of knitting3314, which is knitted in with the two loops of knitting 3215 and 3214carried by such needle, which are cast off.

It should be noted that the portions of row of knitting 31 and 33 areproduced by actuating the needle cylinder with a rotary motion about itsown axis in one direction of rotation, while the portion of the row ofknitting 32 is produced by actuating the needle cylinder with a rotarymotion about its own axis in the opposite direction.

The knitting of the region C proceeds in this manner, by actuating theneedle cylinder with an alternating motion about its own axis andreducing, until required and depending on the shape to be provided onsuch portion, the number of the active needles of the group of needlesthat produces the region C.

The regions A, B and D are produced in a manner similar to what has beendescribed with reference to the region C.

The needles excluded from knitting are kept retracted within the needlecylinder, below the casting off plane formed by the sinkers, so as tonot interfere with the work of the other needles or of the otherelements of the machine.

By proceeding in this manner, it is possible to obtain, for the regionsA, B, C, D, a width which decreases gradually, with edges which do notrequire further finishing operations.

For the sake of simplicity in description, in the examples describedabove with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, it has been assumed that thenumber of active needles of the group that provides the region C isreduced before the beginning of each portion of row of knitting. Inpractice, the number of active needles for producing the regions A, B,C, D can be decreased every one or more successive portions of row ofknitting, depending on the shape to be obtained for such regions.Moreover, if a shape with at least one width reduction alternated with awidth increase of such regions is to be obtained, the number of needlesmade to knit of the groups of needles that are used can be decreased inone step of the knitting process and increased in another step of theknitting process, in a per se known manner.

At the end of the production of the regions A, B, C, D, the manufactureis released by the needles and unloaded from the machine. As analternative, it is possible to perform, on the same circular machine,the joining of two regions that constitute a same shoulder strap orcrotch, for example by following the method disclosed in Italian patentapplication MI2004A-002495 by the same Applicant, thus finishing themanufacture directly on the circular machine used to produce it.

The method according to the invention, although described with referenceto the production of shaped regions of a body suit, can be used toobtain shaped regions on other manufactures, such as for exampleunderpants, undershirts, tops or similar articles.

It should be noted that with the method according to the invention themanufacture 1 can also be produced by starting the knitting from theupper end. In this case, the regions A, B, C, D may be provided, in aper se known manner, by increasing gradually the needles of the groupsof needles that produce such portions and by instead decreasinggradually, according to the invention, the needles of the two groups ofneedles that produce the regions E, F by transferring the last loop ofknitting formed by the needles that are subsequently excluded fromknitting to the contiguous needle.

In practice it has been found that the method according to the inventionfully achieves the intended aim, since by using the technique oftransferring the loop of knitting from one needle to a contiguous needleto reduce the active needles combined with the actuation of the needlecylinder with a rotary motion about its own axis in both directions ofrotation it allows to provide manufactures, even ones having a highfineness, which have shaped regions which do not necessarily requirecutting or finishing operations regardless of the side from which theknitting of the manufacture begins.

The method thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications andvariations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims;all the details may further be replaced with other technicallyequivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be anyaccording to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2005A001190 fromwhich this application claims priority are incorporated herein byreference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed byreference signs, those reference signs have been included for the solepurpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly,such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on theinterpretation of each element identified by way of example by suchreference signs.

1-3. (canceled)
 4. A method for knitting manufactured articles withcircular knitting machines having a needle cylinder actuatable forrotation in both rotation directions, particularly with high-finenesscircular machines, wherein at least one region of the manufacturedarticle is produced with a group of contiguous needles by reducing atleast once the number of active needles of said group of needles bytransferring the last loop of knitting formed by certain needles of saidgroup of needles to contiguous needles of said group of needles and thusexcluding from knitting said certain needles during the formation of atleast one portion of a subsequent row of knitting by the needles thatare kept active, and wherein said region of the manufactured article isproduced by providing in succession portions of rows of knittingobtained by actuating the needle cylinder with a rotary motion about itsown axis in one direction of rotation alternated with portions of rowsof knitting obtained by actuating the needle cylinder with a rotarymotion about its own axis in the opposite direction.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 4, wherein the reduction of the number of activeneedles of said group of needles is performed by transferring the lastloop of knitting formed by certain needles of said group of needleslocated at least one end of said group of needles to contiguous needlesof said group of needles.
 6. The method according to claim 4, performedon circular knitting machines which have a fineness substantiallyranging from 16 to 50 needles per inch.